LITMIR.BIZ

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didn’t know what possessed her.

      Maybe it was the fact that her palm was still humming from the touch of his against it. Maybe it was the way his lips canted up a little higher on the right side than the left when he smiled. Or maybe it was just the balmy evening, the flickering candlelight and the tinkling sound of water from the fountain in the center of the patio.

      Instead of taking the lime from him, she simply leaned forward and sank her teeth into the small wedge, closing her lips around it to suck at the tart fruit.

      His pupils flared.

      Time seemed to stand still.

      Finally, he let go of the lime and sat back. “You want to dance?”

      She slowly drew the lime from her mouth. “Okay.”

      And despite the fact that their plates were still steaming hot from the kitchen, he abandoned his chair and walked around to hers, pulling it away from the table.

      She stood, too, and felt a shiver trickle down her spine when it seemed as if she could feel his warm breath on her neck.

      Then he held out his hand.

      She dropped her glasses on the table next to her plate and set her palm against his.

       Chapter Three

      Max had made some gigantic mistakes in his life.

      But as he worked his way through the restaurant’s dining room toward the intimate dance floor, he couldn’t decide if he’d just made one more, or not.

      The only thing he knew for sure was that he wanted Emily Fortune up close and personal.

      And, whether he could figure out why or not, she seemed to be interested in the same damn thing.

      Fortunately, the music wasn’t anything complicated. Just a slow, Latin beat that didn’t necessitate anything more involved than shuffling around between the other couples, and he turned toward Emily. She didn’t hesitate, stepping closer than he’d figured she would, and linking her hands behind his neck.

      It took every speck of willpower he didn’t even know he had to keep from dragging her even closer.

      “This is the nicest thing that’s happened to me in a long time,” she said.

      “I find that hard to believe.”

      She tilted back her head and the silky ends of her ponytail tickled his hand where it rested on her back. “Why?”

      “I doubt I’m your usual taste.” He stepped closer, turning her slightly to avoid the older couple dancing next to them. “I’ll bet you dessert that your last date was either a lawyer or a doctor.” He thought for a moment. “Or maybe some Southern trust-fund son.”

      For a second, he thought she would be offended. At least enough to stop dancing with him and end the spectacular torture it had become the second he’d touched her. But then she lifted her mouth, reaching up to whisper near his ear. “You owe me dessert, then, Max Allen. And I like sinfully … rich … chocolate.”

      His fingers curled into the expensive-feeling jacket covering her back. The only thing in his blood right now was sin. And that was a helluva problem, considering Emily was not only out of his class, but she was his boss’s sister-in-law. “Who was he, then?”

      “Terrance Green. A stockbroker.”

      He gave her a look. “Same thing.”

      She smiled a little tauntingly. “You didn’t specify. And I am going to collect.”

      “How long did you keep old Terry dancing on your string?”

      She rolled her eyes and he figured it was his imagination that she looked embarrassed. “We only went out once,” she said. “I accompanied him to a charity auction.”

      He wondered what she’d say if he told her there’d been days during his childhood when he’d pretty much been a charity. “Sleep with him?”

      Her jaw dropped. But then she laughed. “You truly don’t bother mincing words, do you?”

      “So?”

      “No!” She was still smiling, as if she couldn’t believe he’d ask. “Do you really think I sleep with men after only one date?”

      “How many does it take, then?”

      She waited a beat. “Are you just gathering information, or do you have a more personal interest?”

      He tightened his arm around her back, his thigh sliding between hers as they slowly revolved around the floor. “What do you think?”

      Her smile had finally died, only to be replaced by an uncertain look that didn’t do a thing to alleviate the heat literally growing between them. “I think,” she finally said huskily, “it bears some investigation.”

      “Max?” The feminine voice broke through the thick fog that seemed to enclose them in their own seductive world. “I thought that was you.”

      Max wanted to swear when Emily blinked and her expression cleared. He didn’t stop swaying her in his arms, though, as he looked over at his sister, who was eyeing him with no small amount of surprise.

      “Kirsten.” His gaze took in her husband, also. “Jeremy. Didn’t know you two would be here.”

      His sister smiled, though her eyes were plainly curious. “We could say the same. I haven’t seen you out since—”

      “Jeremy,” Max said abruptly, not really wanting to have his sister announce in front of Emily just how long it had been since he’d been seen in public with any woman in his arms. He hadn’t dated in over a year. Back when he was thinking he was heading down the “family man” path, and his life was finally on the right track.

      Until it derailed.

      He let go of Emily so that she could see the other couple. “I guess you two don’t really need any introduction.”

      “I guess we don’t,” Emily agreed. “Jeremy, how nice to see you.” Her gaze went from her cousin something-something-removed, to his wife, and she smiled wryly. “I should have connected the names.” She stuck out her hand toward Kirsten. “It’s good to see you again. I didn’t realize Max was your brother.”

      Max suddenly felt like the odd man out. His sister was married to a Fortune and Emily was born a Fortune. While he was a guy just trying to make a place for himself in the world. “Our meal is probably getting cold,” he said.

      “Why don’t you join us,” Emily suggested to his sister and her husband. “I’d love to get caught up, and we already have a table out in the courtyard.”

      A table that only sat two people, and closely at that.

      Max managed a smile, anyway. He and his sister had had their moments in the past, but she was his only family. He knew he could count on her, and more times than he wanted to admit, he’d had that point proven to him. She’d been the terminally responsible Allen, and for the past few years, he’d been working damn hard to prove to her—as well as himself—that he wasn’t the terminally irresponsible Allen. He loved her. And he respected Jeremy a hell of a lot. Both he and Kirsten had been there for him when he’d been at his lowest point.

      He just didn’t want to share Emily with them at that particular moment.

      “We’d love to,” Kirsten assured. Her hand was tucked around Jeremy’s arm.

      And that was the end of that.

      They headed back to their table, Emily chattering away easily with her something-removed cousin as they caught up with the family members they had in common, and the waiter managed to squeeze in two more chairs and place settings at their minuscule table.

      She didn’t

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